On Saturday, the NBA announced the competitors for the 2026 Kia Shooting Stars. The event is a timed shooting challenge between four teams. Each team will have 70 seconds to score points while rotating through seven designated shooting locations around the court.
Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Allan Houston will be competing for Team New York Knicks. The trio brings a strong shared resume to the Kia Shooting Stars.
Brunson and Towns are both All-Star selections for the game's upcoming edition. The dynamic duo has shaped the Knicks into a prominent force this season, holding the third spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
In December, New York won the 2025 NBA Cup against the San Antonio Spurs. Brunson was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
The retired Houston is a two-time All-Star selection and was part of the Knicks' 1999 NBA Finals team. He is the current general manager of the Westchester Knicks, New York's G League affiliate.
In order to win the Shooting Stars challenge, Team Knicks will need to defeat Team All-Star, Team Cameron, and Team Harper. Each squad features two current NBA players and one retired player.
Team All-Star is made up of Scottie Barnes, Chet Holmgren, and Richard Hamilton. Barnes and Holmgren are set to be teammates for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, while Hamilton earned three All-Star selections in the mid-2000s.
Team Cameron features Jalen Johnson, Kon Knueppel, and Corey Maggette. All three players are alumni of Duke University, having played at the Cameron Indoor Stadium at some point in their careers.
Team Harper is composed of Ron Harper Sr., Dylan Harper, and Ron Harper Jr. It will be a family affair for the Harpers, with the father being a five-time NBA champion.
The last edition of Shooting Stars dates back to 2015. The most recent champions are Team Bosh, a trio of Chris Bosh, Swin Cash, and Dominique Wilkins.
The event will take place on Saturday, February 14. It is scheduled to be the first event of the night.
Newsweek